Introducing the leaders behind BioCircleToZero

Johan is the overall leader of the BioCircleToZero program. His mission is to get more value out of every harvested tree and reduce the environmental footprint of pulp mills. With over 30 years of experience in R&D and innovation across research, consultancy, and technology development, he knows the industry inside out. 

What motivates Johan is the chance to help build the biorefineries of the future. This program is not only about pulp and paper, it also covers textile fibers, biochemicals, biofuels, e-fuels, recycling, and all things decarbonization. He is especially excited about turning today’s “waste” into tomorrow’s useful products and even using biogenic CO₂ from pulp mills to make fossilfree fuels. But what he enjoys most is teamwork: “No one can do this alone,” he says. “We need the whole value chain on board.” Johan is also energized by the idea that this work can create growth that truly matters, not just for business, but for the planet. And yes, he admits it’s pretty satisfying to turn old industrial processes into something modern, clean, and full of new opportunities.

Naveen is the Stream Lead for Streams 1–2 in the BioCircleToZero program, driving key development areas around next-generation biorefinery concepts and integrated process solutions. In his role as Director Research & Innovations, he plays a central part in translating ambitious ideas into concrete R&D initiatives that help unlock more value from wood-based resources. 

With a strong background in innovation and technology development, Naveen focuses on advancing solutions that connect different parts of the biorefinery ecosystem. His work contributes to developing new ways of utilizing biomass and its components more efficiently, improving integration between processes, and enabling the transition towards low-emission and circular production systems.

What motivates Naveen is the opportunity to turn innovation into real industrial impact. For him, the BioCircleToZero program is about creating practical solutions that support the shift towards sustainable biorefineries - whether through better use of side streams, new product pathways, or closer collaboration across the value chain. He believes that progress in decarbonization and resource efficiency can only be achieved through strong partnerships and a shared vision between all stakeholders. For him, success is measured not only in technical advancements, but in the ability to create long-term value for the industry, for customers, and for the environment.

Ville leads Stream 3, which deals with energy-transition topics like renewable fuels, hydrogen, CCUS, Power-to-X, electrification, and demand response. His goal is to help turn pulp mills into flexible, low carbon biorefineries that can produce more products while reducing emissions. Before joining ANDRITZ, Ville spent nearly 12 years at VTT and Fraunhofer, where he became very good at building big, collaborative climatetech projects.

He joined this program because he believes strongly in open innovation and working together across companies and industries. In his view, BioCircleToZero has the power to speed up the development of real climate solutions, especially with strong partners. Ville is excited about what the next years will bring, especially with new EU regulations and funding pushing the energy transition forward. In other words, great timing!

Simon leads Stream 4, which focuses on developing new products and making sure they fit real customer needs. He brings experience from pulp and paper mills, product development, technical customer service, and even five years in the packaging industry, so he knows both the machines and the markets pretty well. 

He joined the program because he enjoys solving problems together with top experts (and because it’s more fun than solving them alone). What excites him is seeing things move from ideas to real-life solutions, as long as the work stays connected to what the industry truly needs. In his dream scenario, customers, and even their customers, join the journey. That’s when the best ideas happen. Simon is also motivated by the chance to turn big challenges into clear, practical solutions that make a difference on the mill floor. And of course, he’s always happy when innovation leads to something that makes life easier for both operators and customers.